Categories: Lifestyle

This exciting Alberta hike will take you past hoodoos & into a shallow cave

Photo via Explore Nordegg

From mountain peaks and rivers to bright blue lakes and vibrant cities, Wild Rose Country has some incredible sights – many of which are best seen on foot!

Tie your shoes tight and bring a friend, a water bottle and some snacks, because there’s nothing better than an autumn hike through Alberta, and the Hoodoo Creek Trail is among the most interesting.

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Located just outside of Nordegg, those who stick to this particular route will scramble up a creek bed and enter a narrowing valley pass.

Along the way, hikers will also get an incredible view of Abraham Lake, see hoodoos, and will end up in a shallow cave but should keep the rich history of the area in mind!

According to Explore Nordegg, the structures you’ll see on the trail are evidence of the glaciers that were once in the area.

“As they advanced and retreated over the region, they carried rocks of various sizes and deposited them along the way,” they explain.

“The deposit, called till, contained a mixture of clay, sand fragments and occasionally large rocks. In some cases like here, the calcium carbonate in the limestone cemented the deposits together. As the water eroded the deposits, those hardened deposits remained as pillars called hoodoos.”

Pretty cool, right? If you’re interested, prepare for a 3.8 km adventure with an elevation gain of 360 metres. It’s described as “moderate” but this varies from person to person – just take it easy and enjoy what you can!

The trailhead can be found on Highway 11, 2.8 kilometres west of the Windy Point Access. Here, you’ll find an informal marker on the side of the road. Hoodoo Creek is marked with a green highway sign, 39 km west of the town.

Believe us when we say that you’re in for quite the treat! Enjoy and stay safe.